Couples using pet names more likely to have stronger relationships

posted by DeWayne & Tamme -
Dec 1, 2018

If you’re one of those people who calls your partner “baby” or some other term of endearment, it does more than just make people around you cringe. It turns out, couples who use affectionate pet names for each other are more likely to have a strong relationship.

While some people think calling each other mushy monikers is sweet and fun, others find it childish and embarrassing, but new research finds there’s a real benefit to doing it. A new surveyof 1,000 adults finds that 87% of Americans and 74% of Europeans use pet names for their partners and those who do are 16% more likely to be happy in their relationship.

The survey reveals that men actually use pet names more than women, 85% compared to 76%. And the nicknames linked to the most satisfied relationships in the U.S. are “pretty,” followed by “beautiful” and “gorgeous.” For the Europeans, it’s the German “Schatz,” followed by “cutie” and “hun.”

And on the flip side, the survey identifies which pet names are most despised. “Papi” is apparently the worst, with 73% saying they hate it. Coming in a close second is “daddy” (72%) (ick), followed by “sweet cheeks” (66%) and “muffin” (61%).